diff --git a/src/lib/components/ImagePreview.svelte b/src/lib/components/ImagePreview.svelte
index 6e18725..3d89505 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/ImagePreview.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/ImagePreview.svelte
@@ -18,16 +18,86 @@
 	let previewDataUrl = $state<string | null>(null);
 	let isProcessing = $state(false);
 	let debounceTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+	let initialEffectiveConfig = $state<string | null>(null);
 
 	const isManualCrop = $derived(config.crop.enabled && config.crop.mode === 'manual');
 	const targetAspect = $derived(device.width / device.height);
 
+	// Build a string representing only config values that affect output
+	// Properties at neutral values are equivalent to being disabled
+	function getEffectiveConfig(cfg: PipelineConfig): string {
+		const effective: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+
+		// Crop: only matters if enabled
+		if (cfg.crop.enabled) {
+			effective.crop = { mode: cfg.crop.mode, region: cfg.crop.region };
+		}
+
+		// Resize: only matters if enabled
+		if (cfg.resize.enabled) {
+			effective.resize = true;
+		}
+
+		// Brightness: 0 is neutral
+		if (cfg.brightness.enabled && cfg.brightness.value !== 0) {
+			effective.brightness = cfg.brightness.value;
+		}
+
+		// Contrast: 0 is neutral
+		if (cfg.contrast.enabled && cfg.contrast.value !== 0) {
+			effective.contrast = cfg.contrast.value;
+		}
+
+		// Gamma: 1.0 is neutral
+		if (cfg.gamma.enabled && cfg.gamma.value !== 1.0) {
+			effective.gamma = cfg.gamma.value;
+		}
+
+		// Greyscale: only matters if enabled
+		if (cfg.greyscale.enabled) {
+			effective.greyscale = true;
+		}
+
+		// Sharpen: 0 amount is neutral
+		if (cfg.sharpen.enabled && cfg.sharpen.amount > 0) {
+			effective.sharpen = cfg.sharpen.amount;
+		}
+
+		// Auto-levels: only matters if enabled
+		if (cfg.autoLevels.enabled) {
+			effective.autoLevels = cfg.autoLevels.clipPercent;
+		}
+
+		// Dither: only matters if enabled
+		if (cfg.dither.enabled) {
+			effective.dither = cfg.dither.algorithm;
+		}
+
+		// Quantize: only matters if enabled
+		if (cfg.quantize.enabled) {
+			effective.quantize = cfg.quantize.levels;
+		}
+
+		return JSON.stringify(effective);
+	}
+
+	// Capture initial effective config on mount
+	$effect(() => {
+		if (initialEffectiveConfig === null) {
+			initialEffectiveConfig = getEffectiveConfig(config);
+		}
+	});
+
 	// Track config changes and trigger debounced processing
 	$effect(() => {
-		// Access config to create dependency (but skip processing in manual crop mode without region)
-		const configStr = JSON.stringify(config);
+		const effectiveConfig = getEffectiveConfig(config);
 
-		// Don't process if in manual crop mode - wait for region to be set
+		// Skip if effective config hasn't changed (prevents unnecessary reprocessing)
+		if (effectiveConfig === initialEffectiveConfig) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		// Don't process if in manual crop mode without region
 		if (isManualCrop && !config.crop.region) {
 			return;
 		}